Weathering the Storm 

The young scholars. The creme of the crop. Know-it-all by nature. The future of the world lingers in the wit of our decisions. Doused in our fearless, yet uncertain, egos, our humanity remains intact. And like all larger than life figures, we have our shortcomings and flaws. With this, we fall victim to the infamous “Midterm Misery”. It is the middle of the semester, and most of us feel the peaking of our breaking points. Assignments are getting lengthier and deadlines are approaching..Collectively, we walk a tightrope of performing our best in class and securing our sanity. Stress builds, sleepless nights, cramming and retaining information to apply it on an exams, we become the mechanical dispensers of knowledge. Here are 5 life hacks and reassurances that everything will be fine.

Study to understand, not just to regurgitate

Information is easier to remember if it makes sense. Even though memorization seems to play a key part in learning, it has definitive use unless it can be can be understood and applied. You will find that most information can be memorized naturally if understood. Just try it. Adopt a study habit that allows you to use your comprehensive skills. You will see that the memorization comes more naturally when concepts are understood.

Understand that pressure can be beneficial

Here is the thing. As humans, we are able to perform our best and tap into autonomic responses on cue when we are under high pressure. Referring to Nixon P. Stress Response Curve (1979), as stress increases, so does performance. So what does this mean? When the pressure is on, we tend to not overthink or overanalyze anything, we naturally act accordingly. When applying this concept to schoolwork, we can began to apply the information we learn in an easier thought process. Let your body and mind do the work for you, Pressure is normal, and our bodies are naturally ready to respond to it. So in a way, we are in control, whether we know it or not.

Keep an eye on your body

We love Starbucks. Energy drinks give us a jolt. We indulge in anything that will help heighten our senses and keep us energized. And though this is ideal behavior for us as college students. We must be mindful that over consumption could be harmful to our bodies.  Remember, our bodies are naturally equipped with the chemicals it needs to help us function naturally. Let us not throw off the functionally by drinking too much caffeine. One cup could suffice. Try balancing your meals and getting plenty of rest at night. Our bodies are like clocks, let us keep them oiled and ticking.

Realize your potential

The only thing keeping you from making the grade you want...is you. Okay, well maybe your instructor can throw in a few twisted challenges, but you can top it! We must understand that we execute tasks at our full capacity IF we are aware of the extent of our capabilities. But wait….what if we are not exactly sure of how much we are capable of? Well, give a stab at it. It is okay to remind yourself every now and again, “I got this”. You are in total control of your situation.

It is only a matter of time

Looking at your course syllabus can be quite intimidating. But what is more rewarding than putting an X on those deadlines as the semester progresses? The only thing that separates where you are and where you will be in the semester, is time. And as time suspends, we must perform accordingly.  Get a head start on a some readings, or pitch some ideas for an upcoming paper. Surely soon, these things too will be crossed off of your “to do” list.

In closing….We are halfway through the semester and in the eye of the storm. Brace yourself. Push through. Do your best. Weather the storm. Cheers!!-Kendra D. Scott